Saving Her
by Villain Princess
Summary: Avatar arc AU! While Gray and his friends take on Avatar, Wendy and Carla come to fight but they also have some unfortunate news with them: Juvia's been captured. As they work to defeat Avatar can they find where they are keeping Juvia and save her, or will it be too late when they find her?
1. Chapter 1

"Juvia is waiting for you!"

Those words send a shiver down Gray's spine. Not that he lets it show.

Juvia.

The woman who stayed by his side even when he did not deserve it. When he always brushed off her advances but has grown to actually like. (Even if she goes a bit overboard sometimes.) She defended him when he pretended to have betrayed Fairy Tail and work with Daphne. When they did their first unison raid he felt something, but he just thought it was sharing his magic with another person. Worried about her when they were in Edolas when she and the others were going to be used to restore magic to the land. Her sacrifice when Laxus and his team pinned everyone in Fairy Tail against each other.

When she considered dropping out of the S-Class trial to be his partner. As much as he wanted to deny it then, his feelings for her were starting to become more clear, that's why he encouraged her to not drop out because even if they did face each other he wanted to see what she was made of. Then when Meredy linked just the two of them, then all three in an attempt to kill him before Juvia convinced her otherwise. Coming back to Fairy Tail after apparently being trapped on Tenrou for seven years.

Lucy's cousin Michelle coming and starting a whole new journey for them. During this, Lyon and his Lamia Scale team came and visited them and Lyon saw Juvia for the first time and flirted with her every chance he got, putting Gray on edge. Erza, Cana, and a lot of the other single women at Fairy Tail can handle themselves just fine, and if Lyon even tried to hit on Lucy, Gray wouldn't even get the chance to tell him to knock it off before Natsu got involved and roasted Lyon alive (literally).

The Games, where Gray was just starting to admit to himself that Juvia is pretty and that he should start trying to see if he could feel more than just friendship for her. Lyon then came in and tried to drag her away before making a bet with him about whomever wins gets Juvia in their guild. Eventually it came down to him and Juvia versus Lyon and Chelia; Juvia and him actually using team work and defeating Lyon and Chelia with a Unison Raid. (And if he's being honest he did not mind holding her hand, or her saying that she won't stop.) Not to mention when Erza told him that he should give her an actual answer because it was what she deserved. (Not that he disagreed, because even he knew he was giving her mixed signals both in vocals and body language.)

Then fighting the Celestial Spirits and seeing Juvia getting turned into a constellation. Then when everything is said and done and she's back at his side he feels something, but he did not know what at the time, he just knew that with her at his side it felt like he was complete.

Natsu interrupts his thoughts by telling him that he's not in control. Gray smirks, taking off his jacket and showing him where he's allowed his black mark of Demon Slayer magic go, over his right pectoral where his Fairy Tail one used to be is now a white one with Avatar's symbol for Zeref. He tells them that Fairy Tail is behind him and that this is the path he has chosen to follow. He barely hears Happy's voice. He gives his reason for not wanting to re-join Fairy Tail in hopes that his trio of friends standing before him will back off.

Slap.

Gray feels a slight tingle on his right cheek as he looks at Lucy. She's standing in front of him with her head down, tears in her eyes. Hard to believe she's the same person that just slapped him. "Nobody is pretending, we're your friends Gray!" she sobs. "And we always will be, and whatever it is you're going through we're here to help. Hearing you say all that is breaking my heart, after all we've been through-" she gasps suddenly, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she claims it's starting to hurt.

"It must be you, Mary." Gray says casually as the short-pink-hair, starry-eye young woman comes in. With her hair style and clothes, she actually reminds Gray a lot of Virgo, the Maiden Celestial Spirit. She talks but he pays no mind.

"What the hell are you doing to Lucy?" Natsu growls. Leave it to the Fire Dragon Slayer to be worried about her. Then again he always has been, even more so than Lisanna. Ever since Lucy's been a part of the guild Gray has noticed this. He never got why Natsu was very protective of her; at first he thought it was because of how they met, but even now if someone even dares makes Lucy cry Natsu is ready to pound them into the ground.

Chains come up and wrap around Virgo and Natsu. Virgo notes the metal the chains are made out of. Happy tries coming over to help only to be controlled by Mr. Cursey. Natsu gets up and tries to come for him only for Jerome to come in and place his sword over a hunched over Lucy.

"This is what happens when you don't mind your own business, Natsu."

Gray and his fellow Avatar members then take the three Fairy Tail's into a cell where they leave them. It has already been decided who's going to the next city to kill all of the people to reawaken Zeref and who will stay behind. Back in his room, Gray's mind drifting back to his earlier thoughts about Juvia.

The next adventure he remembers them doing was dealing with Tartaros. When his father was revived and Juvia fought Keyes and killed him which in turn killed Silver. He remembers going back home and Juvia following him informing him of what she had did and how she felt like she could no longer love him because of it. As he cried he recalls telling her that she set his father free so she did the right thing. His train of thought after that being that Juvia most likely would have likely lived in a world where he hated her for what she did and her trying to move on than in a world where she was dead and his father still be controlled by a necromancer.

He also recalls the day that they saw a whole town destroyed and while on their way back, hearing her so worried was startling. How she didn't go all fangirl crazy when he offered the chance for her to go with him to one of the new locations they had gotten word about. Putting his hand over hers in reassurance because, unlike Natsu, Gray actually knows to keep his eyes on the road instead of turning around and having a heated gaze on his companion. He can't help the feeling of relief that flushed through him, heart picking up, and a tingly stomach when she accepted.

Then Makarov disbanding Fairy Tail and he went to an old abandoned home to train and get stronger. Not that he expected to be alone that much, that's why he chose a house that had at least two bedrooms; so that when Juvia did show up (Gajeel dragged her somewhere first, their final quest for Fairy Tail) she would have her own room and he could actually sort out his feelings. And it was actually quite enjoyable. They did everything together, though Gray isn't to keen on the fact that she picked up his stripping habit. But the only thing that comes off is her jacket, which reveals her corset so he hasn't said much.

Then Erza called and asked him about going undercover. He didn't want to, but if there was a way to defeat Avatar and keep Juvia safe he would do it. They expected the operation to last a month or two, three at most. That way he could have explained things once they were over and they could go back to normal. But it's been half a year since he left Juvia and he misses her more with each passing day. There are nights when he has such vivid dreams about them together that when he wakes up he half expects himself to be back at their home or Juvia to suddenly show up. He wonders if she's okay. It's taken a lot of self-restraint to not contact her. As he imagines their reunion there are two scenarios that come to mind: 1.) Juvia doesn't hate him and she'll embrace him in a bone crushing hug like she always does and will immediately forgive him. 2.) She's going to kick his arse and yell at him for leaving her for half a year with no word.

He would like the first one to happen, but the more he thinks about it the more he is unsure of which one he would prefer more.

When Alok takes the others to the city they are going to destroy, Goumon stays behind to deal with Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. As much as Gray would like to take them down from their ranks, he can't just leave his friends alone. Slipping away from the group, Gray goes down to the basement where his friends are being held captive. He hears Natsu's voice as he gets closer to them. He gets there in time and freezes Goumon just before his ax even makes a mark on Lucy.

"Gray." Lucy says through her gag. Gray uses his ice magic on their shackles to break them free.

"So typical." He states as he changes his hair back to normal. "How can you guys always ruin everything?" He brings out his communication lacrima and calls Erza. After a brief conversation (and making the blackness of his demon mark leave), Gray throws the lacrima to Natsu who holds it up to his ear, tensing when he hears Erza's voice. He nods his head when Natsu looks at him, confirming whatever it is might be going through that Salamander's mind.

* * *

"What are you trying to say Erza?" Natsu wonders as he, Lucy, and Happy sit on the floor looking at the raven-hair Ice Mage.

"I'm a spy." Gray clarifies. "Give me some credit, do you really think I would join some creepy Zeref cult? It's time to get moving. We'll explain everything on the way." With that Gray leads his friends out of the old, dark church as Erza explains what Jellal asked of her several months ago regarding Avatar.

"How are we still hearing her?" Happy questions as they leave on some animals. Gray's communication lacrima now in his pocket.

"We have a portable communication lacrima." The wizard explains. "Anyway, after our last fight this pattern broke out all over me so I went to Porlyusica to see is she could help. As you saw I am now able to make it appear and disappear whenever I want."

The two wizards then continue their story. Erza admitting to them talking about what they've been up to and Gray calling it fate, claiming he'd do anything for Erza and the fact that he actually does want to get his hands on the Book of E.N.D. and destroy it as his father's last wish was for him to destroy it.

"Yeah, okay." Natsu interjects. "Buy why didn't you tell Juvia about this? She's literally worried sick."

Sick? Juvia's sick? Did her rain come back? Did he do that? (There is no wondering, he knows it as fact.) Has she been searching for him in the rain? Or did she just stay inside and not eat that much? Oh Fairy Tail what has he done?

Erza intervenes and tells them that she asked Gray to keep it a secret and that the more people know about a covert mission such as this the more likely it is to fail and that mere knowledge of the plan could put someone in danger. Though now, Gray is wondering if keeping her in the dark at all was a good idea if she's sick.

"So kept her in the dark for her protection, huh?" Happy laminates.

"Still a crappy thing to do." Natsu replies.

Gray's mind is on autopilot as his mind wonders to Juvia. Hopefully they got Wendy and Carla before they found Juvia. If not then she could be even more sick if she's been out in the rain and no one is keeping an eye on her to keep her from getting better and going back out in the cursed rain. Then his mind goes back to when Jerome accused him of being a spy, had they gone to his room? Did they use a spell to search his memories and find out about Juvia? With his heart beating against his ribs he hopes that she has someone with her.

Turning, Gray apologizes to Lucy for what he said and she apologizes for slapping him. Gray then makes the remark that the maid outfit made it better, if only to get on Natsu's nerves while he's actually thinking about his Water Mage. A slap from Lucy is nothing and something he can deal with, one from Juvia not so much.

Natsu then comes forward and gives them a rousing speech where they all exclaim "I'm fired up now!" and it feels good to be back with his friends.


	2. Chapter 2

Team Natsu finally reunites near the edge of the town. Erza decides to take them out from behind while the others take them out before they can even reach the city gates. Of course Natsu has to blow them away with his stronger power.

"So did you get stronger this past year too or what?" Natsu wonders gleefully.

"Just watch me old buddy, it'll be pretty obvious." Gray replies as Lucy opens the gate for Taurus and transforms into a matching outfit with the Celestial Spirit.

"Fullbuster!" He hears Jerome call.

"Don't worry, these heathens will not hinder our plan for purification." Briar reassures. "Let us dispose of them!"

Erza then comes in and takes them out. Natsu claiming that it's been a while since they've had a party like this, Gray agreeing that they will have to do it up right. Both he and Natsu send attacks at the members coming towards them. He sees some members coming for Lucy, calling her out because Natsu is to focused on the battle right now. She takes some of the incoming members out but he freezes a guy that is above her otherwise she'd be a Lucy kebab.

Snapping his fingers the guy that is frozen becomes the top and freezes more of his brethren. Natsu takes the opportunity to run up it as he blows them all away with his fire. From the corner of his eye he sees Jerome go after Erza. He hears someone call his name and he sees familiar white hair, dark skin, and red eyes.

"Briar." He grunts out.

"How dare you betray us like this! You played us for fools! All this time you spent with us was a lie, wasn't it?" She jumps in the air before landing in front of him and using her magic to break the ground.

"Yeah, of course it was you idiot. I'm not the kind of guy who would associate with a bunch of murders like you!" He informs her calmly.

She rebuffs this by telling her it's not murder but purification. _Whatever you need to tell yourself to make yourself feel better, I guess_. Gray thinks.

"And once it's done Lord Zeref will be among us again!" He dodges her attack again. "Tell me: your brave words about the Book of E.N.D. were they just lies as well?" Another attack, another dodge.

"I hate to disappoint you, but that stuff was mostly true. Someday I am going to destroy E.N.D. and when I do it's going to be on my terms; in a way that'll make my old man proud."

"If there's one thing I can't stand it's a rat, hear me!" She keeps attacking and he keeps dodging, does she not get that she can't get him? He sends a blast towards her and she splits. Good that's what he wanted. Her split image magic. He tells her as much as she splits into four.

"I am Angry Briar!" says the one on the upper left.

"I am Smiling Briar!" The one on the upper right claims.

"I am Sorrowful Briar." The lower left.

"And I am simply Loving Briar." Lower right.

Gosh, the only person he wants looking at him lovingly is Juvia.

_Juvia, where are you? I could really use your help. Even if it means you yelling at me later._

The four Briar's go on about how they feel facing him, and he feels an unpleasant feeling wash over him when Loving Briar confesses that she fell a little bit in love with him. He waits for Juvia to show up, normally if she feels another woman is competition for him she'll come in and try to fight or sabotage them. He doesn't see her or feel her magic.

_She must be back home still recovering. _He figures as Natsu told him on their way that Wendy and Carla are taking care of Juvia and helping her recover from the rain. He'll just have to fight with twice the strength if she was their with him. Everything becomes a blur but he knows that he defeats Briar before everything goes dark. A metallic monster appears. Gray and everyone tries to save everyone while Natsu took care of the monster. It all happens too fast and too slow in Gray's opinion. Once the battle is over they all gather around, Gajeel, Lily, and Levy coming towards their group. Gajeel jokingly telling them that he's going to arrest them all.

"And Juvia you're under arrest for. . . . Where's Juvia?" The Iron Dragon Slayer questions as he doesn't see his friend among the group.

"That's right," Gray speaks up. "Wendy, Natsu and Lucy said that you and Carla were taking care of her. Is she still sick?"

Wendy and Carla-who is now back in her cat form-look down. "It's not that she's still sick. . . . You see we were on our way here. . . ."

* * *

_Wendy, Carla, and Juvia are on their way to battle. They're using Wendy's strong nose to try and find them. They knew that Natsu and Lucy went to Saber Tooth and after that they were going to find Gray. They're in a forest where all four scents of Natsu, Lucy, Happy, and Gray all go into two different directions._

_One path gave Wendy the creeps from the darkness coming from it while the other not so much. But which path had they gone down? Which path should they be taking?_

_"We should split-up." Juvia finally states as she sees the concerned, conflicting look on Wendy's face._

_The young indigo-haired child looks up at the Water Mage. Both Wendy and Carla voice their __thoughts on Juvia's decision. Telling her that it's crazy and that if they split-up and run into trouble then it will end one against who-knows-how-may or two against how-many._

_Juvia lifts her hand to silence the healer and the Exceed. "It'll be all right. Juvia can handle herself. Oh, and if you happen to see Gray, tell him that we are going to have to have a serious talk." Juvia starts walking down the path that is giving off an dark aurora._

_"Come with us down the other way and if we find him, you can tell him yourself!" Wendy pleads._

_Juvia looks at Wendy over her shoulder, a small gentle smile on her lips. "Don't worry, we both have a fifty-fifty shot of meeting with them or running into people that could cause them more trouble. . . ."_

_"We're going with you, whether you like it or not Juvia!" Juvia's smile grows a little at Wendy's declaration but does not argue with her. (Though, can someone even really argue with a Dragon Slayer once they set their mind on something?) They make their way down the path and come across a big pile of dark bricks. "What happened here?" Wendy wonders._

_"I don't know, but whatev-Wendy watch out!" Juvia pushes Wendy and Carla out of the way as she sees some men in white and green-grey cloaks coming down from the trees. Juvia screams as something comes into contact with her and electrocutes her._

_"Juvia!"_

_The man holding Juvia laughs. "It looks as if we got what we came for."_

_"Hey, give her back!" Wendy is about to use some of her Sky Magic on them when a sudden blizzard covers them. A man with blue-white-hair in a side ponytail, wearing glasses and blue-white robes comes forward._

_"I don't think that will be necessary. Tell Mr. Fullbuster if he wishes to Ms. Lockser again, to meet me, Invel, near the Alvarez Empire." With that, the man raises his hand and all of the ice and snow disappear as does all of the men in robes and Juvia._

* * *

Everyone freezes at this revelation. Tears start forming in Wendy's eyes, the Sky Dragon Slayer falls to the ground on her hands and knees, her tears dampening the earth. "I'm so sorry, everyone. I should have been quicker, I should have tried to stop them from taking her." The youngest slayer sobs.

Erza goes over and kneels in front of her. "It's all right, Wendy, no one blames you."

"That's right!" Natsu agrees as he clenches his fist, flames engulfing it. "We'll get her back, don't you worry!"

Erza then reminds them that they need to go back to the guild, or where it used to be. On the back to Magnolia, Gray has been silent the entire, mind racing with various thoughts a hundred miles a minute. He hears his companions taking, their gazes on him every few minutes or so before they go back to looking at the road ahead with their own conversations.

When they reach the guild, everyone of their guild family is their. Gray is happy to see them, of course he is, but something is missing and he is very well aware of what it is. To keep his mind preoccupied he throws himself into rebuilding Fairy Tail. It doesn't help that he catches himself almost calling her name. He always stops before even a sound of Juvia's name escapes his lips, but that doesn't mean he doesn't notice the looks and whispers of his guildmates. Macao and Wakaba whispering to themselves that Juvia must be on a mission, or she has yet to receive word about Fairy Tail coming back together (are they really that dumb?), or she must have come to her senses and realized that she is too good for Gray and finally left him.

That stings. But Gray agrees that Juvia is too good for him. She has put her life on the line for him plenty of times, has defended him, and has been by his side countless times. And what has he done for her in return? Brush her feelings and declarations off, but just offered her friendship. He even left her for months without telling her about going undercover or seeing Porlyusica about his Demon Slayer mark. He could have at least been honest about that. Okay, that's a lie. Not only should he have been honest about Porlyusica, but also about the moment he and Erza first made contact; even taking her to meet Erza in the early days just before he learned of Avatar.

Once night falls the guild is mostly back to normal, so everyone is inside celebrating but Gray is at the bridge overlooking the city. It's empty at this time of night, but Gray swears he hears footsteps coming towards him every so often and looks over his shoulder to see if Juvia has somehow escaped from that Invel freak. He grits his teeth as he can only imagine what he is doing to her/ Has he frozen her? Tormented her with ice so much that she now hates it and doesn't want to see it again? Is he keeping her in cell and beating her with every chance he gets?

"Gray." Erza's voice brings him out of his dreadful reverie. "Is everything all right?" The requip mage wonders.

"No." Gray answers, voice as cold as his ice magic. "I'm not."

"What's wrong?"

"Everything! Juvia's gone because you told me I couldn't tell her about us meeting or about Avatar!"

"You knew the stakes, the more-"

"Don't give me that bullshit! If you were the one that went undercover there's no doubt you would have told Jellal and kept in contact with him as much as you could! If Natsu hadn't left you wouldn't've asked him or Lucy to keep it a secret from the other! You also knew what happened when she gets too upset," he can't bring himself to say sad or depressed about Juvia. Her mood has hardly ever been down since she joined Fairy Tail, mostly pure and utter joy and he can't seem to think about her any other way. "Yes, I could have denied your request, but you said that you couldn't find anyone else. We could have at least included her in the planning. She used to be apart of Phantom's Elemental Four, she's probably been on missions like that before. She would have understood. Worried? Yes. But she would have understood."

Erza stands their for a moment. She understands how he feels. And she understands that what she asked of him, of both of them, was wrong. She knows that she herself could have at least reached out to Juvia when they realized the mission was going to take longer than expected. They're both at fault for this, she realizes as she walks to stand next to her friend.

"I understand that you're reasonably upset, but we will get her back. By all means we will make this Invel feel the wrath of Fairy Tail for taking one of our friends."

For a moment, Gray feels better. Only for a moment. He takes a breath. Nothing is going to make him feel better until he knows that Juvia is safe. Once they reach her, get her free, and IF she doesn't need any healing then he is going to let take on Invel, she deserves to take him our for kidnapping her. He won't step in (no matter how much he wants to) unless she asks him to. Then when Invel is taken care of, Gray will take her aside and they can have that serious talk she wants so bad. Even if she does tell Gray that she is tired of her heart wanting him and following and she wants someone else, he'll let her go. Despite the fact of coming to terms with his feelings for her, he won't argue with her. She deserves to be happy, and if she's decided that's not with him than so be it.


	3. Chapter 3

Juvia's eyes are blurry when she first opens them. Her head is pounding as things become clearer. The first things to come into focus are the dim golden bars portraying as doors of the room, they are starting to rust each bar halfway gone. The next thing she feels is the cold ground, a mix of stone and earth while the walls are completely stone.

Slowly pushing herself up into a sitting position, Juvia grabs her head and takes deep breaths to try and stop the dizziness. The dryness of her throat makes the bluenette wonder when the last time she even had a drink for simple hydration. She used to get asked why she would drink water when she is water, the simple truth is: Juvia sees the water she is made of as a normal person would view their blood. And who would drink their blood for hydration? (Well, she is certain that Natsu and Happy would if it was told to them by fact or possibly by dare-and even then, she is certain they would do it, because why not?)

Recalling Natsu has Juvia missing her Fairy Tail family. It has been a year since she has seen everyone. She lived with Gray for half of that time before he just up and left one day. Never coming back. She had kept her hopes up for a while that he would return shortly and explain where he had gone. A month after his disappearance her hopes of seeing him quickly started to disappear. A little drizzle started one day when the sun was still shining in the sky, at first she did not think that she was the cause of it; they were in a deserted town after all, so any news of what the weather might entail any day was a mystery. Still, she waited. Even out in the rain. She did not care about her health. She ate regularly, but she knew the rain would eventually affect her; but during those long months-feeling-like-years her only priority was seeing Gray.

Then just a few days ago, half a year after Gray left, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla showed up. From the distance and due to her sleepless nights, she heard their cries. Natsu's being the loudest. At first she mistook them for Gray until she saw them. She was glad to see them, but it still did not settle her heart when he was not with them. Her tiredness and fever finally got the better of her and she passed out.

When she woke-up, Wendy and Carla explained everything to her as they went to go and find the others and this mysterious guild known as Avatar. They came to a path, one that emitted dark aura while the other was more peaceful. Juvia wanted to go down alone, not because she did not think Wendy could handle it (she can and did), she wanted to let out her anger and frustration. But Wendy had insisted on going with her (must be a Dragon Slayer thing, stubbornness).

The sound of footsteps brings Juvia out of her thoughts. As they get louder, closer, she sees the shadow of a man appear. When they stop, the footsteps and the shadow belong to a man standing right in front of her cell. He has light blue-hair, similar to her own but a little bit darker but not by much, grey framed glasses, a white collard shirt with a dark blue tie, long light coat with dark blue on the left shoulder and right leg, a loose yellow belt keeping it shut, dark blue pants and black shoes.

Juvia grits her teeth, tightening her fist in her skirt. This is the man that kidnapped her and told Wendy to inform Gray to come and find him. She wants to punch this man so hard. She restrains herself, wanting to find his true motives for wanting Gray and kidnapping her.

"Hello, you must curious as to my name. It's Invel. Invel Yura, faithful servant and general to Lord Zeref." Juvia refuses to acknowledge him. "As to why I brought you here, to simply put it: I need Gray Fullbuster to unleash his full rage to defeat E.N.D. or at least the Book of E.N.D. while he still can."

Juvia feels the water in body freeze over as cold as a northern sea. The Book of E.N.D. The same book Silver wants Gray to destroy, and the same one she is sure Gray would want to destroy whether his father wants him to or not. The same book that Gray has spent all those months training to destroy. Yes, he wanted to get stronger but she knows his main driving force had been destroying E.N.D.

But what does kidnapping her have to do with getting Gray at his full rage? They are friends now, she is certain both will admit, but they are nothing more than that. (Even if Juvia wants them to be much more.) She is patient in waiting for him, because despite the words he says to her about not being interested his actions, on the other hand, have proven to her otherwise. At least, she can admit, that she understands that he only sees her as a friend.

"Then why bring me here," Juvia says, bangs casting a dark shadow over her eyes. This catches Invel's interest, she can feel his gaze on her. "Why me specifically? Why not just another of Gray's friends? He would be just as equally angry if you took Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Cana, Gajeel, so why me?"

A cruel smile forms gently on Invel's lips in a thin line. "Tell me, are you by chance hungry and/or thirsty?" The Winter General wonders. "Tell me everything you know about Gray Fullbuster and I will reward you with food and drink."

Juvia grips her the skirt of her dress even tighter that her knuckles are turning white that is visible on her already fair skin. "My thirst and hunger are of no concern to you. You could make it feel like Hell has frozen over and still, I will not tell you even the most minor and obvious of details to you about Gray! You could torture me by boiling me alive and I still why not say a thing! And seeing as you work with Zeref, I doubt that you will release me to go back to my friends so why do you not just kill me and get it over with?"

"Because," light shines on the lenses of Invel's glasses in a blinding, a cruel sadistic smirk on his lips showing his sharp teeth. "Killing you, while it may seem entertaining and an even better way to have Gray Fullbuster be consumed by his anger, I need you alive to tell me everything you know about him."

Juvia moves swiftly, her left arm extended as she uses her Water Slicer, irritation and anger boiling within her veins. The bars of the cell already have multiple scratches so it is hard to tell if her attack even damaged them; but as she looks at Invel she cannot help but smirk internally as she sees a mark on his cheek in the form of medium-sized crescent, blood coming from it. Normally, Juvia would not be happy as seeing an enemy bleed (even in Phantom Lord she did not like it), but seeing Invel bleed brings a warmth to her. If he wants to see Gray angry and wants to use her as bait then he is going to have to keep up with a better plan, because she refuses to help him hurt or anger Gray.

She takes a breath and sits on her knees, her back towards the Winter Mage. Invel takes out a handkerchief from inside his trench coat in the right breast pocket and places it over his wound. "I see. You picturing your Gray pushed to his maximum hurt or anger angers you, am I correct."

Juvia refuses to acknowledge him now, her hands coming to rest on her lap. _Juvia can do this_, she thinks. She let her anger out, she needs to remain calm. She needs to come up with her own course of action to get out and find her friends. Once she is back with them-and hopefully it is at the guild hall if Lucy contacted everyone she was able to keep tabs on and they all came back the minute they heard her call-and healed, she will tell them of what Invel has told her, before taking Gray somewhere private and giving him a piece of her mind for leaving her alone for half-a-year with no word of where he was or going and why. Then, she knows, she will fall into his embrace and just be happy to have him back but will be insistent that if he ever plans on leaving her again for any length of time he better talk to her first.

Even if it is for a quest with Natsu, Erza, Lucy, and Happy (Carla and Wendy tagging alone every now and again too), a vacation, or even simple errands, she will want to know about it. She could not handle it again if he leaves without even telling her of where he is going. She knows that the errands and vacation parts sound a tad bit overbearing and controlling, but it will put her more at ease than her heart freezing over with worry over where he might be and if he is all right.

"Fine!" Invel growls. Has he been talking this whole time while Juvia has been in her thoughts? "If you will not talk to me then you can freeze!"

The already cold temperature of the cell drops to the negatives, even the warmth of her wool jacket is not helping. She and Gray once did a month of training of helping the other survive in the water and ice. Gray did not like the being underwater. On the second day she sent him so far below the waves that he could not tell which way was up, down, left, or right. She had guided him and told him to feel the water, be a part of it, and by that he would be able to find his way to the surface again. He had been stubborn and reluctant about it at first. Once sunset came and he still had not popped up from the lake she wanted to go in and find him but they had come to an agreement that unless they felt it absolutely necessary, they would not help the other.

Gray, in turn, froze the entire inside of their house. Dropping the temperature of it day by day. Just a little. One day it would be fifteen degrees, the next fourteen, and so on, and by the end of the month she could survive in the negative twenties while he could find his way twenty feet underwater even if he does loose his sense of vision.

But this? This absolute torture. The temperature is dropping rapidly and to degrees that Gray has not trained Juvia to survive in. It must be somewhere near the negative thirties or forties or fifties. Juvia clutches her arms in an attempt to pull her jacket even closer to her body to try and maintain warmth. The Water Mage's already dry throat somehow gets even dryer and her empty stomach even more empty that it is growling and making Juvia almost sick.

Falling to her side, the bluenette turns to her capture. She sees something in his eyes as he looks at her in her pain. "I will not ask again, tell me everything you know about Gray Fullbuster and I will make the winter go away, give you food and drink as well."

Just as she is about to tell him to go to hell, he places a finger in the center of her forehead. A weird freezing sensation envelops her in a shocking way, her body responding to it. The coldness she feels on the outside fading away as her limbs come alive, and in twisted way her eyes becoming heavy as tiredness over takes her.

When she awakes, the small winter inside the cell is gone and replaced with much warmer weather, she turns and sees a an empty tray with crumbs and a glass with little water droplets. Juvia opens her mouth in a silent gasp in horror, hands coming to cover her gaping mouth. Did she. . . . did she eat and drink what Invel brought her? Did she really betray Gray and confide in Invel everything she knows about him?

She looks at her white guild mark on her outer thigh, does she. . . . does she even deserve to still have this?

_No, Juvia does not._ She tells herself as she uses her magic to sharpen her nails and goes to guild mark. She screams in pain but the blood covers the mark as she can feel it leave her. As she screams, under the tray is a piece of white paper that she does not see that says _Thanks for the help_, in Invel's jagged handwriting.

Now, he has everything he needs to defeat Gray Fullbuster.


End file.
